The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus having a function for compensating for characteristics of an output device and an image processing method.
Recently, a color image forming apparatus which forms a color image on a recording medium on the basis of information of a color original image displayed on a color CRT display has been used in computerized offices. As examples of color image forming apparatuses, there are a copying machine and a printer adopting an electrophotographic method. Such copying machine and printer have excellent color reproduction, therefore, they are widely used in a field which requires faithful color reproduction of an original image, such as the field of designing and the field of image processing.
Further, the color gamut in chromaticness and lightness of an original image displayed on a color CRT display generally does not match the color gamut of a printed image formed by the above image forming apparatuses. Therefore, in order to match the color gamut of a color image inputted to a color image forming apparatus to the color gamut of an output color image, several techniques have been suggested. According to one technique, a test pattern which is outputted from a color image forming apparatus is read,-And characteristics of the image forming apparatus are compensated for. According to another technique, when the color gamut of an input color image signal is broader than that of a color image forming apparatus, the color gamut of the input color image signal is compressed within the color gamut of the image forming apparatus. By using the above techniques, an attempt is made to faithfully reproduce an original image.
There is no problem in a case where a single color image forming apparatus for outputting an image is used, however, a problem exists when a plurality of color image forming apparatuses are connected to a single computer by a computer network system. In such a network system, when an image is outputted from the plurality of color image forming apparatuses, each of the plurality of color image forming apparatuses may independently adjusted its output characteristics, however, the color image forming apparatuses may not be adjusted to each other and the computer. As a result, the plurality of color image forming apparatuses may form images having different color gamuts from each other.
Further, since an external device, such as a computer, can not determine the output characteristics of an image forming apparatus, there is a problem such that image processing suitable for the output characteristics of the image forming apparatus to be used is not performed.